I watched the same show last night. I didn't do this and wouldn't. I had both myu girls at the hospital-and unlike so many stories I have read, had a great experience, but I worked at it before delivery came and my Dr were amazing. I would consider a home birth-with a mid-wife present, but would not have a free birth-I would be way too worried that something would go wrong-I lost two friends 2 weeks apart to childbirth. I know it's rare, but I just couldn't, personally take the risk. To each his own though and I wouldn't be against someone who chose freebirth.

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Heather, full time special education teacher
married to my highschool sweetie, Al
mama to two Irish beauties,
Maggie(10.21.05) & Avah(06.01.07)

I watched it too and I completely understand the desire and reasoning behind an unassisted birth. I couldn't do it for myself though. I can see a good compromise of birthing at home with no one but family in the room/house but having a midwife in another room/outside for those just in case times.

I felt sorry for the girl in Colorado when she went to the ER because she hadn't delivered the placenta. The doctor was very rude and condescending to her.

OTOH, didn't she realize that all she needed to do was push after her baby was born? I didn't quite understand that. I don't think she was fully prepared for it. My DH came home in the middle of the show, and after I explained what it was about, told me not to get any ideas. :LOL

I think this is a big concern, that many will not be fully prepared before birthing

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Heather, full time special education teacher
married to my highschool sweetie, Al
mama to two Irish beauties,
Maggie(10.21.05) & Avah(06.01.07)

I wouldn't do it. I have a history of hemorrhaging after birth. My first birth was in a hospital and it sucked. My second birth was at a maternity center and it was awesome (aside from the hemorrhaging.) The maternity center floor was tile. The blood was pouring all over the floor. I have carpets... the mess would be too much for me to clean (And then there's the whole possibility of bleeding to death.)

But that's just me.

If I had a history of uncomplicated deliveries, then I likely wouldn't care to try freebirthing.

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I'm C.
Lifemate to sweet E. SAHM to my DD Big A [3/14/03] and DD Little A [5/30/08] Baby "A" due in November 2016!
Back after many years and cautiously expecting someone new.

I work on a hospital Labor and Delivery unit, and I had my son at home with a licensed Midwife. The birth was fantastic, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I barely had any pain, and was ecstatic and filled with adrenaline from the moment I reached down and pulled him up to my chest.

Now, when I went back and watched the video, I realized the extent of my euphoria. Watching the video, I saw that my son was slow to cry and had started turning a bluish color. I don't remember this at all, but the midwife kept telling me over and over, rub his back, pour some water over his head, rub his back! etc etc. And I kept holding him up out of the warm water, into the "cold" room air, and she to tell me numerous times to keep his body under the water.
I was completely oblivious!! I am trained in freaking neonatal resuscitation, but I was on such a high that not even with my training did I realize that my baby needed stimulation and "help" transitioning.
Like I said, I don't remember any of that, or even my midwife having to tell me over and over again to rub his back and keep his body in the water. Didn't know it happened till I saw the video.
What if my baby had not been breathing at all when he was born? Would I have even noticed? If I had noticed, would I have been in the right state of mind to perform proper resuscitative efforts? To be honest, sadly I think the answer to both those questions would be "no" even with my training.

My point is that I don't care how much training you have, even if you're a freaking midwife or doctor yourself. When you are in labor/birth mindset, you do NOT have the proper objective mindset to be making the evaluations/decisions that need to be made at that time.

I just don't understand why you wouldn't want a professional there. And this is coming from someone who has been attacked over and over by my coworkers for having a homebirth, and "why would you choose that".
I just don't see any BENEFITS to not having anyone there??? Can anyone enlighten me? Like, what are the negatives to having a midwife there? and what are the benefits to not having one there??

No I would never. I had a high risk pregnancy, and went into labor a few times (I had an incompetent cervix and had to have a cerclage) Also I had gestational diabetes and my DD had to have her sugar levels tested many times after birth. It would just be to dangerous for me. Even if I didn't have problems I wouldn't because I wouldn't stop thinking what if. Not for me.

I'm totally not comfortable with a freebirth, but the idea of a midwife appeals to me. I hemorrhaged with tmy DS after my uterus collapsed and the placenta wouldn't deliver, so I'm totally not considering something like this. DD's birth was actually a good experience (for a hospital experience ). Anyhow, I just wanted to hear some other viewpoints on it.